


Just Come in to Join the Crowd

by sabinelagrande



Series: Exandria NM [4]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Park Rangers, Awkwardness, Breakfast, F/M, M/M, Morning After, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-24
Updated: 2016-08-24
Packaged: 2018-08-10 18:30:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7856389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sabinelagrande/pseuds/sabinelagrande
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Breakfast: it's the most mortifying meal of the day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just Come in to Join the Crowd

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to dizmo for looking this over!

When Percy wakes up, he's alone. There's the natural moment of confusion of waking up in someone else's bed without that person, but it dissipates quickly when Percy looks at the clock. It's early on a Saturday, but that's Vex and Vax's Thursday; the bathroom door is closed, the sound of the shower coming through it. Percy almost stays in bed, because a few more hours of sleep sounds lovely. Then again, the bed seems so empty without Vex, and something about that is so unappealing.

Percy throws back the covers and swings his legs around, standing up. It smells like Vex put on coffee before getting ready, and Percy could certainly do with a cup. He puts on the sleep pants he keeps at Vex's and yesterday's undershirt and heads out to investigate.

Vex is not in the kitchen, but the kitchen is not empty. Percy has run into Vax there so many times at this point that it's down to such a low level of awkwardness that Vax sometimes even talks to him. Unfortunately, it is also not Vax.

Because standing there, in all of his glory and no shirt, is Gilmore, who is presently cooking bacon.

"Percival," Gilmore says, turning away from his pan and giving Percy a dazzling smile. "How wonderful to see you."

To backtrack, it's not as if Percy didn't know Gilmore was in the building the night before. Truthfully, the only way he knew is that he could hear intermittent laughter, Gilmore's voice carrying. He promptly did not speculate on what was happening, because while everyone at this park may be hooking up with everyone else, he would like to maintain the thin veneer of privacy he has cultivated.

"Good morning," Percy says, sliding onto one of the bar stools at the kitchen counter and attempting to get through this interaction like an adult. For his part, Gilmore does not seem fussed at all.

"I hope you had a restful night," Gilmore says, lifting bacon out of the pan to drain. He turns to Percy, giving him a wink even Vex would be proud of. "Or not, as the case may be."

"It was a good night," Percy says, which is noncommital but exactly as much as Percy cares to volunteer.

"Over easy?" Gilmore asks.

"Excuse me?" Percy says, shocked.

"Your eggs," Gilmore says, a glint of mischief in his eye.

"That would be fine, thank you," Percy says, feeling a little mortified. He gets up, going to pour himself the coffee he came in here for; maybe Gilmore will be less successful at running circles around him if Percy is fully caffeinated. He almost offers to help, but Gilmore looks like he's in his element; he probably doesn't need a still-sleepy Percy getting in his way.

"So what's your plan for this fine Saturday?" Gilmore asks, as Percy's eggs sizzle.

"Well, Vex is working all weekend, so perhaps groceries," Percy says, because if there's a safe place to admit how much influence Vex has on his life, this is probably it. He yawns, despite himself. "Or a book and a long nap."

"Both excellent choices," Gilmore says approvingly. He slides the eggs out onto a plate, arranging other items on it before he sets it in front of Percy: bacon, toast, and even a tomato slice, all immaculately prepared. 

"This is a very welcome sight," Percy says, taking the fork and knife Gilmore holds out. "It looks delicious."

"Fantastic," Gilmore says with a smile, returning to his pan. No sooner than he has cracked another egg, Vex appears, dressed and finishing off the end of her braid.

"Gilmore!" Vex says, lighting up, taking a seat next to Percy.

"Vex'ahlia," Gilmore says, leaning across the counter to give her air kisses.

"You darling man," Vex says. "I didn't even know we had bacon."

"Breakfast may have been premeditated," he says playfully. "How do you take your eggs?"

"Over medium, if it's not too much trouble," she tells him.

"For you, anything," Gilmore says, cracking a second egg into the pan. Percy is torn for a moment; eggs get cold quickly, but Vex doesn't have a plate, but Vex was not in the original breakfast equation, so does she really count?

While Percy is still considering this, Vex makes a shooing motion at him. "Well, don't just sit there," she says, and although he gives her a look, Percy proceeds to tuck in. It is, of course, the most delicious breakfast that Percy has had since the last time Keyleth got it in her head to make a banquet, but nothing about that surprises him.

Soon enough, Gilmore sets a plate down in front of Vex, who readily dives in. "This is amazing," Vex says, through a mouthful of bacon.

"I'm so glad to hear it," Gilmore says, cracking yet more eggs, four this time, into a bowl. He whisks them quickly, adding a bit of milk, salt, and pepper, then pours the whole thing into the pan.

Percy is dipping his toast into a perfectly runny egg yolk when Vax's door finally opens. "Gil?" Vax calls.

"In here," Gilmore says.

"You started breakfast without me," Vax says, walking in; for a moment he looks confused to see Vex and Percy, but Percy gets the distinct sense that Vax is confused by everything at this time of the morning.

Gilmore pours a cup of coffee, setting it in front of the stool next to Vex before going back to the eggs. "I didn't want to deprive Vex of a good start to the day," he says.

"Thoughtful," Vax says, sitting and guzzling down the coffee. He stretches, becoming visibly more alert by degrees. "You should have let me help."

"Nonsense," Gilmore says; he splits the scrambled eggs in half and puts them on two plates, giving each one its full accoutrements before placing them in front of Vax and the stool beside him. He slips into the empty space, kissing Vax's temple before turning to his meal.

"This is all awfully nice," Vex says, pushing her plate away and drinking the rest of her coffee, "but I have a VC to open."

"I'll see you out," Percy says, because it seems the most logical way to extract himself. "It was truly delicious, Gilmore."

"The best in town," Vex says.

"Any time, just say the word," Gilmore says, gesturing with his fork. 

"See you at noon, sis," Vax says, before going straight back to his eggs. As they stand, Vex nudges Percy back towards her bedroom, and Percy allows himself to be led.

"Well, that was only slightly mortifying," Percy says quietly, as Vex sits down to lace up her boots.

"You handled it admirably," Vex says, only a little sarcastic. "For a breakfast that good, a bit of mortification is worth it."

"But you will show up to literally anything with free food," Percy reminds her.

"And get my money's worth every time," Vex says. She stands up. "But actually, I pulled you in here to do something actually mortifying."

"Oh?" Percy says, as she steps in close.

"I just didn't want my brother to see me do this," Vex says, putting her arms around his neck and pulling him down to kiss him thoroughly.

"In that case, have a good day and hurry home," Percy says when she pulls away. Vex just grins in response, kissing him again before she turns him loose. She picks up her bag and saunters out, and Percy watches her go. He's left largely in the position he started out in, alone in Vex's room without a solid plan, but the day seems to be off to a noticeably better start, awkward situation or not.

But maybe he will stay in here until Vax and Gilmore are finished eating, just to be safe.


End file.
